


Crossing Ash Bridges

by Kipper065



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Gen, Sleepy Bois Inc as Family, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-26 16:35:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30108894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kipper065/pseuds/Kipper065
Summary: Tubbo is the president of L'Manburg. But, with the weight of all the wars, and being forced to exile his best friend, Tubbo isn't sure he wants to be. When he's given a way out, he takes it. Now he's determined to get away from everything, to take a break and live his life. More importantly, he needs to makes things right with Tommy.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 30





	1. Mr. President

Tubbo had had enough. This was the fourth time they’d tried to have this meeting, but it kept going to shit. He was sick of it. Everyone had different ideas for what they should do next, what they could do to improve L’Manburg.

He stuck in his hand in his pocket, his fingers closing around the ever present compass. The compass that pointed towards the one person that he wanted nothing more than to run to. He wanted so badly to run to him, to cling to him so tightly and apologize for everything, for exiling him, for betraying him. He wanted to cling to him and never, ever, let go.

But he couldn’t. He couldn’t, because he had responsibilities here, as much as Tubbo disliked them, and thanks to his actions, his best friend was far, far away.

Tubbo sighed. It’s not like Tommy would want to see him anyways. He probably hated him for betraying his trust. For giving in to Dream.

Tubbo certainly couldn’t blame him if he did.

He looked up with a start when he realized everyone was looking at him. He glanced at quackity, who was seated directly opposite. Tubbo offered him an apologetic smile.

“Sorry everyone, would you mind repeating what you said?”

Quackity sighed.

“We were just discussing whether or not it would be of interest to host a festival. We thought it might lift the people’s spirits, especially after the... events... of the last one.”

Quackity looked away from tubbo as he said that last line, though everyone knew what “events” he was referring to.

Tubbo reached for his neck, for the scars that forever marked the way that festival had turned out. He pushed the memories deep down. Now wasn’t the time. He had a duty as president, to his people both in and out of this room.

“I think that sounds lovely! It would certainly be good to have something for people to look forward to.” This time Quackity smiled at him. “Great! We can have games, food, shows, the whole Shabam!” He quickly started going over the various things that would need to be done, started assigning people tasks. He glanced at Tubbo once or twice for approval, but Tubbo just gave him a thumbs up and let him keep talking.

He was really glad big Q was taking charge. It left him to think about other things, like how long it had been since he visited his bees, the chess match he and Ranboo had planned, and, how much he missed Tommy. Tubbo pictured his friend when they’d first come to the SMP. He could picture his smile, the mischievous grin that always meant he had a plan. The way you couldn’t help but feel like something was going to happen. Tubbo could just imagine him sitting in that room, his laugh so loud but so contagious that once he started there was no stopping until everyone was bent over, laughing like there wasn’t a care in the world.

God, he missed that laugh.

He missed his friend.

When it was just him and Quackity left in the room, he sighed. Quackity turned to him, eyes questioning as he looked him up and down.

“How are you holding up Tubbo?”

He let out another sigh. “I’ve been better”

“Are you thinking about him again?”

He should have known his VP would see right through him. To be fair, he hadn’t exactly been subtle.

Quackity walked across the room, settling into the chair on his left.

“Do you miss him?”

“Always” Tubbo replied, without even a second of hesitation.

The two sat in silence for a moment. Tubbo unmoving, thinking about what his friend might be doing right now. Quackity sat like he had something on his mind, but Tubbo wasn’t going to pry. If he wanted to say something he would.

And then he did.

“Tubbo, do you even want to be president?”

The boy startled. That was not at all what he thought Quackity was going to ask. He thought for a moment. Did he? He hadn’t initially, in fact he’d kind of had it shoved onto him by Wilbur, right before he... well, you know. He didn’t mind it, he’d always liked helping people, and being president was probably the best way to do that. But it had also forced him to do things that he had never thought he would do. He’d been forced to exile Tommy. His best friend, his partner in crime, his VP, who he’d stuck by for as long as he could remember.

All because Dream threatened them. And sure, tommy shouldn’t have burned down George’s house, but did the punishment really match the crime? His best friend, his Tommy, was off in exile by himself, and L’Manburg still wasn’t completely at peace with the SMP. Tubbo ran a hand through his hair, fingers catching in the soft curls. He was a kid god dammit, he shouldn’t have to be thinking about this. He shouldn’t have to worry about peace, and safety. He should be able to run around, be with his friend, enjoy life before he got too old to do the things he wanted. With that thought, he had his answer.

“No”

Quackity sighed. He looked Tubbo straight in the eyes and asked:

“Well, if you don’t want to be president, do you want me to help you get out?”

Tubbo startled (again). He had expected Quackity to try and convince him that he was a good president, that his people needed him.

“You would do that for me?”

The man smirked.

“I saw what happened to Schlatt when he was in power. It drove him over the edge. Same with Wilbur.” He paused. “I don’t want that to happen to you Tubbo.”

Quackity got up and moved to the other side of the room, pulling open a drawer and grabbing a notebook from its depths.

“I’ve actually been thinking about this for a while.” He explained. “I believe we have a couple options.” Quackity laid the book in front of Tubbo. On the open pages were two lists, which the boy quickly realized were plans of action.

Quackity pointed to the first page. “First, you could step down immediately, I would take your place, as the Vice, and we’d hold an election as soon as we could.” He moved the book to draw Tubbo's attention to the other page. “Or, you stay as president, we hold the festival, and you can announce that you’re stepping down, and start planning for an election with the council.”

Tubbo frowned. Neither were great. He considered the first one; he’d be free sooner, but it would leave Quackity in charge. He trusted big Q, sure, but he also knew that his friend could be a little too like Schlatt sometimes, even if he didn’t mean to be. On the other hand, if he stayed president until they could hold an election, it would be longer before he could leave. Longer before he could follow his compass and never look back.

“Do you want to be president big Q?”

It was Quackity's turn to think. Tubbo could see the question turning behind his eyes as they sat in silence.

“Sort of? I want to help our people, and you, and I also want to prove that I’m not like him.” He looked up, offering Tubbo a small smile as he continued. “It wouldn’t be permanent either. I’d be president for, maybe a month? And then, I wouldn’t even have to run if I didn’t want to.” Tubbo had to admit he was making sense, but Quackity wasn’t done yet. “Besides,” he said, his smile turning mischievous. “If you can do it, how hard could it possibly be?” Tubbo smacked his arm before laughing.

“Well then big man, how soon can we make the announcement?”

* * *

Tubbo sat, fidgeting nervously in his chair as they waited for it to start. He and Quackity had done a lot of talking and planning over the last day and a half. They’d talked with all the members of the council, made arrangements, and spread the news that there would be an announcement at 3:00 today.

It was 2:51.

9 minutes until Tubbo announced he was stepping down.

Some of the council members had been hesitant of their plan, some of them arguing that it was too sudden, others looking skeptically at Quackity. Despite all the good he’d done as Tubbo's Vice, people hadn’t yet forgotten that he had been under Schlatt’s thumb before.

Tubbo, along with Fundy and Ranboo, had done their best to convince the rest of the council that Quackity would do great. He thinks the thing that helped the most was when Fundy offered to be the VP. Having grown up under Wilbur, most of the council knew him and trusted him, even after Wilbur went insane. To them, Fundy volunteering probably assured them that they wouldn’t have to deal with another Schlatt.

It had certainly made Tubbo feel better about leaving.

The second he and Quackity had started planning, Tubbo knew he was leaving. No one was forcing him to go, but it had been too long since he’d seen his friend. As much as he hoped, he doubted Dream would allow Tommy to come back any time soon. That just meant Tubbo had to go to him.

It was 2:56. 4 minutes left.

Quackity came up the steps and sat next to him. He leaned back, sighing deeply as he fixed his tie. Tubbo was kind of surprised to see him wearing one. He had never known Quackity to dress formally. He turned to him, “Are you nervous big Q?” The man looked at him, eyes storming with both nerves and determination. “I think I’d be cra-, uh, ridiculous to not be man.” Tubbo offered him a small smile before turning towards the front again. Quackity did the same, neither choosing to acknowledge what had almost been said.

It was 3:00. It was time.

One of the council women stepped up to the podium as the anthem played softly in the background. After a moment, once the crowd had begun to settle down, she started.

“Good afternoon everyone, I hope you’re all doing well. Our announcement today is going to be short, but is one that we believe everyone will care about.”

Tubbo's eyes scanned the crowd. He could see plenty of people talking to their neighbour, curious looks in their eyes. Things had been fairly calm, all things considered, so he could understand why a sudden meeting like this would be strange.

“Now, I present, President Tubbo and Vice President Quackity.” The council woman concluded, motioning towards where the two of them were seated. The two stood, practically in sync. Tubbo glanced back at Quackity, who gave him a small nod, before he turned and walked up to the podium. He scanned the crowd of people before him. He managed to spot a few of his friend in the crowd, niki with her vibrant hair, Phil with his wings. He even saw ghostbur floating around.

This was it. After this, all they had to do was sign the documents to make it official, and he’d be free. He wouldn’t completely abandon L’Manburg. He couldn’t, it held a special place in his heart, but he would no longer be held responsible for it.

“Hello everyone. I hope you’re all well. I’ve come before you today because I have an announcement, well obviously,” he chuckled, “but also because I wanted to make sure that you understand.” He fidgeted behind the podium, glad it covered his shaking legs. “As much as I’ve loved serving you all as your president, I have decided to step down.” The crowd started murmuring. “As of today, my Vice President, Quackity, will be taking over.” There was more murmuring at this. Clearly some of the council people’s concerns were shared amongst the citizens. Tubbo pushed on, determined to finish before he broke down. “He will be taking on Fundy as his Vice President, and arrangements for an election will begin to be made as soon as we are done here.” More whispers at this, and Tubbo could tell that, like the council, the mention of Fundy seemed to calm them. He pushed to his finish, only having one more line he needed to say. “Thank you all, for everything. And now, Vice, soon to be president, Quackity.”

With that he stepped away from the podium, making room as Quackity took his spot. He had wanted to address the crowds and answer some questions before he took the oath. Tubbo knew his friend wanted to assure people that he would be better, that he wasn’t going to follow that route.

His part being over, Tubbo made his way off stage. Fundy passed him, offering a small smile before joining Quackity. The two of them would do well, he thought, they both cared a lot about the citizens, and both were very smart.

Tubbo was surprised to find Ranboo standing at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for him. He had expected the hybrid to have been down in the crowd with everyone else. He paused in front of him for a moment before Ranboo motioned for them to keep walking. The pair walked in silence for a few minutes as they made their way towards the town hall, Tubbo's final destination today. The place where he’d sign over the presidency to Quackity, and be done.

“How long until you go?”

Tubbo turned towards Ranboo, trying to hide his surprise. He shouldn’t be too shocked. Ranboo had come to be one of his closest friends since he’d arrived, so it made sense that he had been able to figure out Tubbo's plans.

“Soon, maybe tonight or tomorrow. I wanted to leave right after the signing, but Quackity is holding a small get together for the council and he wants me to be there.” It was technically the truth, but what he didn’t say was that he was also nervous about seeing Tommy. It had been about three months, and their last encounter hadn’t exactly been pleasant. He honestly didn’t know how Tommy would react to seeing him again.

Ranboo looked him in the eyes, and Tubbo hated that it felt like he could see right through him.

“I can come with you if you’d like?”

His voice shook slightly as he asked, and he seemed to duck in on himself slightly more when Tubbo raised an eyebrow at him.

“I-I mean, it’s just that you haven’t exactly visited before, and I’ve been a few times, and I know it’s been a while since you two saw each other, and I thought maybe you’d appreciate the support, and-“ Tubbo cut him off by wrapping his arms firmly around his friend. He looked up at him, having to really lean since he was quite a bit shorter. Despite his efforts, a few tears sprung from his eyes.

“I’d love that.”

The two talked a bit more, making plans for when they’d leave, what they needed to bring. Ranboo convinced Tubbo to at least wait until morning before they left. He agreed, partially because he really wanted to change out of his suit, and he needed to wear it until at least after the party tonight. They finally parted ways, Tubbo into the building to sign the papers, Ranboo to begin gathering supplies.

* * *

  
His eyes flew across the page, double and triple checking the words that he and Quackity had painstakingly written. Everything seemed to be in order. Tubbo looked once more at all the people standing around him. Quackity, who was standing next to him, placed his hand on the young man's shoulder. Quackity offered him a smile, which Tubbo returned.

With that, Tubbo picked up the pen, and signed his name on the dotted line.


	2. Tales from Exile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for suicide mention/thoughts, implied manipulation
> 
> Tommy recounts some of the adventures he's had in exile

“Fuck shit fuck stupid ass bitch FUCK”

The sun was being a bitch, and Tommy didn’t appreciate it. Why the hell did it have to come out so early, and who gave it permission to SHINE RIGHT IN HIS TENT? He certainly hadn’t, that's for sure.

Still grumbling, Tommy rolled out of bed. You’d think he’d be used to the sunrise at this point, but almost three months into his exile he still hated it. If only he could punch the sun. Maybe then it’d stop being a bitch. He could possibly convince Ghostbur to help him with that. Ghosts can’t die, right? Surely he could help him think of a way to do it.

With today's plan in mind, he threw open the tent flap giving the sun one more fuck you before heading over to the Logstedshire, where he had last seen the ghost of his brother.

“Ghostburrr where are you?” he called. No reply.

“Ghostbur?”

He poked around by the barrels stacked in one corner of the space. Nothing. He checked inside the small building Ghostbur had made for himself. Nope, no sign of him there. Tommy even checked his writing spot that he had built out behind the main structure. There was no one fucking haunting this place.

Tommy grumbled, making his way back up towards his tent. Of course Ghostbur had chosen today to fuck off to who knows where. He was so distracted in his mumbling that he ran headfirst into the armoured man standing outside his tent. Tommy yelped in surprise, looking up. Dreams lips turned up into a smile, chuckling softly at the boy's surprise.

Without even a word spoken between them, Dream dug a small pit in the ground, and Tommy reluctantly threw in his armour and newly made tools. He tried to keep his diamond pickaxe, but quickly gave up once Dream realized. He knew it wasn’t worth the fight.

* * *

“Dream,” Tommy asked, attempting to balance across a log.

“Do you think it’s possible to punch the sun?”

Dream looked at him skeptically, his eyes shining with both curiosity and amusement. Tommy saw that look often. It seemed most of what he did amused Dream. He wasn’t sure why, since he was being completely serious. Ok, maybe his idea of getting inside a beehive hadn’t been his brightest, but he was sure this one had to be possible.

“You know what Tommy, if anyone was going to do it, it would be you.”

Tommy wasn’t exactly sure what that was supposed to mean, but he smiled anyway. Why did Dream always have to be so fucking cryptic?

“So you’ll help me do it?” He hopped off his log, walking over to where Dream was leaning against a tree. “I was going to ask Ghostbur to help me, but he’s not been around.” He looked up at the warrior skeptically. “Have you seen ’im? Last I saw him was yesterday when the three of us were getting more logs for logstedshire.”

Dream looked over at him, that damn look in his eyes again. “I haven’t seen him either, perhaps he’s visiting L’Manburg today.” He pushed off from the tree, walking back towards Logstedshire. Tommy scrambled to follow him, quickly matching his pace. “As for your plan to punch the sun,” Dream continued, “I don’t know how you plan to do it, but of course I’ll help, I’m your friend after all.” With that, the two walked on in silence.

Tommy tried to pretend he didn’t care where Ghostbur was. He knew the ghost didn’t have to stay in logstedshire with him, so it made sense that he’d want to visit his friends in L’Manburg.

Their friends.

No.

They weren’t his friends not anymore. Not Fundy. Not Niki. Not big Q. And especially not…

Especially not…

His hand sunk into his pocket, the cool metal sending a shiver through his fingers.

Maybe once, but he’d been betrayed by everyone who he had cared about. No one cared about him anymore. No one except Dream. And Dream did care about him, right? He visited him every day, helped him gather supplies, made him laugh. Besides, Dream had called himself Tommy’s friend, hadn’t he? Yeah, Dream’s his friend.

* * *

Ghostbur was back the next day. He wouldn’t say where’d he’d been though, no matter what Tommy tried. Eventually he stopped asking, there was no point. Ghostbur’s memory had always been kind of dodgy. Shouldn’t be surprising that he forgot something else. He did seem to feel bad for leaving Tommy yesterday, as he’d been following Tommy all day. At this point, it was rather annoying.

“-and maybe once we’re done with a proper storage area we can make you a proper place to sleep! Wouldn’t that be nice Tommy? A proper roof over your head instead of that tent?” Ghostbur fluttered around Tommy as he built. He’d finally got fed up with the stack of barrels in Logstedshire and decided to build a proper storage room. With a grunt, the blond acknowledged his brother before turning back towards his tent.

Ghostbur had brought up making Tommy a proper house a few times now. Tommy had been quick to dismiss him before. He didn’t need a fucking ‘proper house’, he had one. Not that he could go to it right now, but he wouldn’t be in exile much longer, so he’d be able to go back to it soon. He’d already been out here for close to three months, surely Dream would let him back soon. Well, maybe not back to L’Manburg, but certainly to his home. Yeah.

Maybe that was why Tommy had brushed off Ghostbur so much, why he'd put off making the chest room for so long. Making something more permanent like that acknowledged the fact that he might be here for a while. Which he wouldn’t be.

It took him a minute to realize that someone was standing outside his tent. God, he really needed to pay more attention to shit. Tommy stiffened when he saw the looming figure looking out over the water. The person turned towards him, and he sighed, shoulders relaxing when he saw it was only Ranboo.

“Oh hey Tommy! Ghostbur. I was wondering where you were.”

Tommy squinted up at the enderman hybrid. He was much too tall. That was not pog.

“Hello Ranboob. What are you doing here?”

Ranboo shrugged. He was used to Tommy's insistent nickname for him at this point.

“I came to see you of course. I also,” He said, rummaging through his inventory, “brought you the things from your house that you asked for.” He threw Tommy the items. It wasn’t much, just some iron and a few carrots.

Tommy looked him up and down for a minute, thinking. The other two stood (or hovered in Ghostbur’s case) awkwardly, neither sure what to say.

“Do you think you could punch the sun Ranboob?”

* * *

“Are you sure this is safe?” Ranboo yelled down at Tommy. He was currently standing on top of a giant dirt tower. Somehow Tommy had convinced him to help with his ridiculous plan. The blond had somehow come to the conclusion that some combination of Ranboo’s height and enderman genes would allow him to punch the sun without dying.

After a few failed attempts, including sticking feathers to his arms, and using tnt to launch him up (tnt had been quickly abandoned when Tommy freaked out after the first explosion, Ranboo assumed it was because of L’Manburg), Tommy’s latest plan was to get Ranboo to build up as high as he could and jump for it. But it was fine. Tommy had promised he’d catch him if he fell. How he planned to catch an 8’5 enderman hybrid falling from the sky, no clue.

When he was about 200 blocks up, he ran out of dirt. Peering over the edge, he tried his hardest not to throw up. (Was it even possible for him to throw up? He’d never done it before, but he certainly felt like he could right now) Tommy and Ghostbur were specks on the ground below him.

He could vaguely make out Tommy giving him a thumbs up and shouting something. No idea what he was saying, but it was probably along the lines of “You can do it!” or “Punch that bitch!” Either way, Ranboo still didn’t think this was a good idea. Too late to turn back now.

With a deep breath, he closed his eyes, got his water bucket in his hot bar, and jumped.

He definitely did not hit the sun.

In fact, he was falling rather quickly.

Not daring to open his eyes out of fear, he scrambled to try and get his water bucket in hand. Only problem was he was falling way too fast, there was no way he could get it in hand and time it properly be-

Suddenly, he shot back up nearly as quickly as he’d been falling. Then he was falling again. This repeated a few times, each time the segments of falling and rising becoming quicker before he finally settled against a squishy surface.

Slime blocks. That was Tommy’s plan. Well, at least he wasn’t dead.

Finally daring to open his eyes, Ranboo saw the two of them staring at him smiling.

“THAT WAS SO COOL!” Tommy yelled, eyes bright with excitement.

“You missed the sun, which is sad, BUT YOU BOUNCED SO HIGH!” He continued, rambling about how cool that was as Ghostbur helped the hybrid off of the bed of slime blocks they’d built. Ranboo wished he had as much excitement towards what just happened as Tommy did. All he felt was a bit of residual nauseous from being repeatedly launched into the sky.

As he later found out, Tommy had been planning to try and catch him with a water bucket, but luckily Ghostbur had remembered he had some slime blocks, and managed to convince his brother that they would be the safer option. Ranboo would need to think of a way to thank him for that later, he didn’t entirely trust Tommy’s water bucket abilities.

Tommy was sulking slightly at the fact that Ranboo hadn’t punched the sun, but Ghostbur and Ranboo managed to convince him that it was for the best. After all, he was the one who wanted to punch the sun. If Ranboo had done it, he would have still been determined to do it himself after.

Having convinced Tommy to put his plan to the side for now, the three managed to have a good afternoon. Ghostbur organized a lunch for them, and they sat by the water eating it, and laughing at all the failures from the morning. Puffy had left a care package of baked goods, it wasn’t much but the three of them quickly made their way through the various cookies and sweets.

Eventually, it was time for Ranboo to head back to L’Manburg, and while he was sad to leave Tommy behind, he had to get back. He had some responsibilities he had to take care of back home. And, if he was being honest, he was pretty sore from today’s adventures. Maybe he could convince Tubbo to finally play that game of chess with him.

* * *

Tommy’s things were in a hole again. He’d been smarter this time, leaving his diamond pick in a random barrel in Logstedshire. He’d grab it later, once Dream had left. Tommy didn’t want him to get even madder at him.

Dream had shouted at him for a bit when he first got there, having seen the remains of the dirt tower Ranboo had jumped off of yesterday. Tommy hadn’t understood why he’d be mad until Dream said it wasn’t his time to die. Dream had thought Tommy had tried to kill himself. He felt kind of guilty for making his friend think that.

When he found out it had been Ranboo as part of Tommy’s plan, he’d calmed down, settling back into their usual routine. Tnt in a hole, exploding all the stuff Tommy had stupidly worked for. He tried not to flinch when it went off. He cursed himself for believing Dream would let him keep his stuff for once. All he was doing was wasting resources making more armour every day.

Tommy turned to Dream, another apology on the tip of his tongue when he realised the warrior was no longer next to him. Glancing around, confused, he finally spotted him by the nether portal. They must be going to the nether today. He hurried over, not wanting to keep him waiting.

Turns out Dream needed some blackstone for a build he was working on, and wanted Tommy's help. He was in charge of gathering the stone while Dream fought off any piglins that came their way. Tommy would have helped, but Dream wouldn’t give him a weapon.

Tommy had always had mixed feelings about piglins. On one hand, they were very ugly. On the other, his brother was half piglin, and as much as they got on each other’s nerves, they cared about each other. Well he thought they had.

He wasn’t sure where he and Technoblade stood anymore. Last time they’d seen each other, Techno had told him to die like a hero and set withers to add to the destruction caused by Wilbur’s tnt. Guess he actually wasn’t sure where he stood with either of his brothers.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the task at hand, only to realize Dream had disappeared.

“Dream?” he called, eyes sweeping back and forth across the walls of the Bastien.

Nothing, no sign of him.

He moved towards the edge of the structure, peeking out to see if he could catch a glimpse of the green hoodie his friend wore. Instead all he saw was the lava lake, swirling and bubbling beneath him.

His breath hitched in his throat. There was something magnetizing about the liquid. He used to not think anything of it, in fact Wilbur would probably insist Tommy had been scared of the stuff when he was little, which was impossible since he wasn’t scared of anything. Still, as he’d gotten older he’d gained a bit of a fascination with the stuff.

It must be warm, after all, everything in the nether was hot. How easy it would be to simply let go of the edge he stood on. To fall into the warm embrace of the lava, and never have to worry about anything ever again. It was tempting. He almost did it.

A firm hand held onto his shoulder, pulling him back to reality. Dream, come back from wherever he’d gone.

“I think we’re done in the nether for today Tommy. Let’s go home.”

Yeah, home. Tommy knew he didn’t mean L’Manburg, that wasn’t his home anymore. With that, the two made their way back to logstedshire in silence. Tommy didn’t even pay attention to the way Dream’s eyes kept flicking over to him, making sure he stayed close.

Once Tommy was back on the other side of the portal, Dream said goodbye, promising to be back soon. He hoped it wouldn’t be too long. He hated being alone.

* * *

Tommy pushed himself up from the dirt. His carrot farm was turning out alright, if a little wonky. He had never been great at gardening, normally he left that to…

Well anyways. He’d been by himself for a couple days. Ranboo had left a note for him, saying he;d try to stop by soon. It seems Ranboob wasn’t too eager to come back after the events of his last visit. Not Tommy’s fault the hybrid hadn’t been tall enough. Maybe he could convince Bad to help him, he was pretty tall. Other than that though, there had been no sign of anyone else in Logstedshire. Not even Dream, who promised he’d be back soon. Guess he was also still mad about Tommy’s experiments, and the trip to the nether.

He should probably get used to that. It was a surprise that people had even bothered to visit him in the first place. Only a matter of time until they all got sick of him and forgot him. His supposed best friend already had, long ago when he first exiled him.

His fingers twitched to reach into his pocket again, to feel the cool metal against his skin, but he stopped them. No point yearning for someone who didn’t even bother to visit.

Tommy couldn’t help but wonder what was happening in L’Manburg. Despite everything, the wars, the election, being exiled not once, but twice, he still cared. So many people he cared for were there after all. His friends, his family. Even the random people he’d pass on the streets.

It may not be the same place it was when they built it, but it meant something to people.

It meant something to him.

Not that he meant anything to it.

Them.

Him.

His hand slipped into the pocket before he even realized what he was doing.


	3. Friends and Food

Tubbo stared at his reflection in the mirror. He was trying to tie his tie for what felt like the hundredth time, but his hands would not stop shaking. He had thought that giving up his presidency would make him less anxious, but the thought of seeing Tommy soon had his feelings in turmoil. He was excited, no doubt. But he also didn’t know how his friend would react.

There was a knock on the door behind him. Tubbo sighed and gave up on his tie, turning to face Ranboo, who was looking in nervously. Tubbo gave him a defeated smile. Without another word, the hybrid crossed the room, taking the ends of the tie in his hands and making quick work of the knot before stepping back again.

“Thank you, Ranboo,” Tubbo said, turning back to the mirror. His hair was a mess still.

“No problem,” Ranboo replied, taking a seat on the end of the bed. “Is there anything else we need to do before the party?” Giving up on his hair, Tubbo went and sat next to his friend, leaning against his arm. “No, I’ve already gotten a small gift for big Q, and I think Niki’s preparing the snacks, since she and Puffy reopened the bakery.” That had been one of the best things since the explosion. Niki is a really good baker. “And Quackity wanted to do his own decorations,” he continued, “Should be fairly interesting, he gave me loads of advice on decorating when I had to do it.”

Glancing at the clock, he saw that they had another 20 minutes until the party, which meant they had at least half an hour until they were expected. Tubbo didn’t feel like trying to pack. He’d wait until morning to do that, or until Ranboo convinced him to do it.

Ranboo, seeming to sense his unwillingness to be seen, looked down at him with a smile. “Do you want to play chess until it’s time to go? You do owe me a game.” Tubbo looked up at his friend. Why were all his friends so tall? It was very inconvenient on his neck. Despite that, he smiled back and moved to his closet to retrieve his board. 

The two sat on Tubbo’s floor, laughing and accusing one another of cheating. Eventually, Ranboo reminded them both of their responsibilities by looking at the time. They needed to leave for the party. Grabbing the small package off his desk, Tubbo caught up to Ranboo at the door and the two walked together towards the party.

Neither noticed the metal object that had slid under the bed during their games.

* * *

One thing Tubbo knew for sure, was that big Q knew how to throw a party. This one wasn’t as chaotic as some of his past events, but it had the same charm. Ranboo had realized he’d forgotten something at his house, so Tubbo had arrived alone. He had tried to go with him, not wanting to go by himself, but the hybrid had insisted that Tubbo had waited long enough to show up.

As soon as he’d arrived, he’d been loudly greeted by most of the council, who were quickly followed by Quackity pulling him into the center of the storm. He’d been sat in a chair and handed a root beer, managing to sit through a few stories and handing Quackity his gift before quickly excusing himself to try and find a quieter corner.

He wondered for a bit before eventually finding Niki sitting on a couch upstairs, nose deep in a book. 

“Are you hiding from the crowds as well?” He asked, plopping down on a nearby chair.

She looked up slightly startled, but quickly smiled at the young boy.

“Yes, Puffy and I are taking turns running the refreshments table, so I figured I’d get away for a bit while I wait for my turn.” She set her book down, glancing at her watch before looking back up at him. “Is there a reason you’re up here Tubbo?” He sighed, sinking deeper into his seat.

“I don’t really like crowds, Ranboo was supposed to be with me to help, but he had to run back and grab something.” He fidgeted in his seat. “The crowd was a little intense.” She smiled at him sympathetically. Niki had always understood his discomfort with crowds better than most, even Tommy sometimes. 

“You’re welcome to come hang out in the kitchen with me and Puffy while you wait.” She offered, “As long as you’re willing to lend a hand.”

That was, in Tubbo’s opinion, the best thing she could have said. He loved spending time with the two of them, plus it meant he got access to their delicious treats. They were both such good bakers.

“That would be lovely! Thank you Niki.” 

She smiled back at him before picking up her book, motioning for him to follow her down to the kitchen.

* * *

Ranboo found him there later, snacking on a chocolate chip cookie. The hybrid had been trying to spot him in the crowd with no luck, but thankfully Puffy had seen his confusion and told him where Tubbo was. 

“Hey Ranboo, did you find what you were looking for?” He asked, taking another bite of his cookie.

“Yeah, glad you were able to find your way by yourself, sorry for running off like that.”

“Well I did almost die from socializing, but luckily I found Niki and she offered to feed me.”

Niki laughed “I offered to let you hang out in the kitchen if you helped with the refreshments.” 

“But I got free food out of it, too.” Tubbo said, finishing his cookie. “Besides, I have been helping.”

“If you count distracting Niki and I from our job, then yes you’ve been very helpful.”

Tubbo stuck his tongue out at Puffy, all four of them bursting out into laughter.

Niki left shortly to bring more treats out to the snack table. Tubbo managed to snag another cookie, oatmeal this time, passing one to Ranboo as well as Puffy subtly looked away. Still pretending not to see the stolen goods in their hands, Puffy turned towards the two boys. “Ranboo, have you been out to see Tommy recently? I left him a basket last time I stopped by. I wish I could have given it to him in person, but I couldn’t find him.”

Ranboo flinched as he remembered the last time he’d been out there. His stomach was still a little queasy thinking about it. He actually hadn’t mentioned Tommy’s experiments to Tubbo yet, he didn’t want the shorter boy to worry about him or Tommy more than he already did. Ranboo did remember Puffy’s basket though, having had one of the cakes from it during their picnic by the water.

“Oh yeah! He was obsessed with the chocolate cakes. I was there when he opened the basket and he refused to give up any of them.” He chuckled softly. “ I did manage to convince him to let me have a strawberry one though. It was very good.” Puffy’s expression softened, and Ranboo saw Tubbo’s shoulders slouch slightly out of the corner of his eye.

“How’s he been doing? I haven’t been able to get out there much, what with reopening and running the bakery with Niki.” Puffy paused, biting her lip softly. “And he’s never there when I do get the chance.”

Ranboo laughed. “He’s definitely still Tommy. Last time I was there he convinced me to help him try and punch the sun. I don’t even know why he wanted to.” A small laugh escaped Tubbo’s lips, while Puffy just looked extremely concerned, but there was a hint of laughter in her eyes as well. “Are you alright?” He looked her in the eyes, schooling his face into a serious expression. “No, I didn’t punch the sun.” He immediately broke at the look of alarmed concern on Puffy’s face, and soon the three of them were laughing as Ranboo shared more about the 'experiments' they'd done.

When Niki came back in, she looked around at them all bent over, confusion written on her face. That set them all off again, and soon Niki was laughing as well, though she wasn’t quite sure why. Finally, they managed to calm themselves as Puffy excused herself to take her turn at the refreshments table.

“Oh Tubbo! I almost forgot, I’ve been messing around with fondant and made some bee-themed cupcakes the other day.” Niki turned to the counter behind her, grabbing a small container from the bunch. “I thought you might like to try them. They’re red velvet.” Tubbo cracked open the container. Three pale green frosted cupcakes sat inside, each one had a few coloured flowers on them, and a small bee. The tell-tale smell of chocolate hit him as he stared at the small creatures that came to life on the dessert thanks to Niki’s hard work.

“They look awesome Niki! Would you mind if I save them for later?”

Niki laughed. “Not at all! I wouldn’t be surprised if you were full from all the treats you’ve eaten so far.” 

Tubbo closed the container, setting it on the counter next to him. Maybe he'd bring them with him when he went to see Tommy.

* * *

Quackity joined them later in the evening, having said goodbye to all his guests. Niki and Puffy were in the other room, gathering the last of the treats off the table, while Tubbo and Ranboo worked to package some of the ones in the kitchen. It was the least they could do after they let them distract them all night.

Tubbo looked over at Quackity when he entered, watching as he walked over to the small table and sat down. Muttering quickly to Ranboo, Tubbo left him to continue packing and went to join his former vp. 

“Long night?”

Quackity turned to him, a smirk playing across his lips.

“Yeah, who knew being President could be so exhausting!” Tubbo laughed. “Half of the council wanted to discuss business all night. I've barely been President for 5 hours and they’re already expecting me to change things.” Tubbo furrowed his brow, and Quackity seemed to realize what he’d said. “Not that there was anything wrong with what you were doing! Just some of the pushier members wanting certain changes made in their favour. You know, things that'll help them personally that they hope I'll do to try and win them over, stuff like that.”

Ranboo, seeming to sense the building awkwardness between the two, grabbed some fudge and crossed the small space to join them at the table. “Was the rest of the party pleasant for you Quackity?” He asked, placing a piece in front of them both. 

The man sighed, picking up his piece and taking a bite. “It was actually really good. Fundy and I had some great conversations with people, and I think people are less hesitant to accept me as President now.” His eyes clouded as he thought back on some of the people he’d talked to. “Karl and Sapnap stopped by, they couldn’t stay long, but I’m glad they came.” He smiled softly thinking about his fiances. They'd been working in El Rapids all day, but had made an effort to come to the party. They'd really helped him stay grounded during all of this. Karl had even been the one to first suggest Quackity speak to Tubbo about being president.

At that moment, Niki and Puffy reentered the kitchen, arms full of treats. They quickly dumped their loads onto the counter, before joining the group at the table. Fundy followed shortly, his arms also laden with desserts. It seemed he had gotten roped into helping as well. They all sat there, just talking for a while. They hadn't done that in forever. They talked about L’Manburg, the bakery, El Rapids. Tubbo’s plans now that he was no longer President, joking about Quackity’s plans now that he was. 

Eventually, Puffy got up to finish packing the treats, Ranboo following to lend a hand. Fundy excused himself, saying goodnight to everyone before heading out to return home for some rest. Niki eyed the two left at the table before getting up as well, offhandedly saying she was going to load some of the packages into the van.

Neither Tubbo nor Quackity said anything for a few minutes, just listening to the idle chatter across the room as well as the sounds of the front door being opened and shut. Quackity, finally finding his voice, was the first to speak.

“I’m sorry if I offended you earlier. You were a great president Tubbo.”

Tubbo ran a hand through his hair. “It’s alright big man. I know you didn’t mean it like that. It just caught me off guard.”

“I hope you won’t go too far from L'Manburg. I’d hate to not be able to talk to you. You’re the first President to walk away from the job alive, after all. There’s something to be learned from you.”

He scoffed, Quackity gave him too much credit. “You’re the one who offered me a way out. I couldn’t have made it through without you.”

With a sympathetic look in his eyes, Quackity leaned over and wrapped his arms around the younger boy. Tubbo was quick to return the hug, and the two sat there, silently revelling in their shared determination to not let history repeat itself.

* * *

Tubbo and Ranboo said their goodbyes to everyone as they made their way home. Niki and Puffy had left a few minutes earlier, needing to return to the bakery before they could head home. Puffy had offered the boys a ride, but the night air was refreshing compared to the heat of a house busy with life, so they decided to walk.

His eyes on the stars, Tubbo allowed himself to be guided by a gentle hand on his elbow. Ranboo laughing softly when, despite his best efforts, Tubbo managed to stumble off the sidewalk onto the grass. 

“Still thinking you want to head out in the morning?” The hybrid asked, pulling the starry-eyed boy from his trance.

“Yeah, I really miss him. I know he won’t accept me right away. He wouldn’t be tommy if he did.” As much as Tommy’s stubbornness has annoyed him, Tubbo missed it as well.

“Besides, the sooner I go, the sooner I can prove to him that I’m sorry.” He hoped Tommy wouldn’t stay mad at him forever. He couldn’t bear to lose him more than he already had.

His hand reaches for his pocket, yearning for the thing that proved he still cared.

“If I can just show him how much he means to me, how much I still care, I-”

He froze.

His eyes widened with panic as his hand scrambled in his pocket, finding nothing.

“It’s gone. Ranboo, my compass is missing.”


	4. The Compass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tubbo and Ranboo desperately search for the compass. There is no way Tubbo can begin to make things right with Tommy without it.

“What do you mean it’s missing??”

“What do you think I mean?!” he was panicking, running his hands through all his pockets. “I thought my compass was in my pocket but there it isn’t!”

This couldn’t be happening. Please, not now, not when he was so close to reconnecting with his best friend. 

“Ok, ok, ok. Let's try and calm down for a minute.” 

Tubbo scoffed. How could he be calm at a time like this?

“I need to find it Ranboo. I haven’t set that compass down since Ghostbur gave it to me.”

Ranboo rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, trying to think.

“Well, it’s too late to try and find it tonight. I think our best bet is to try and sleep, and then look for it in the morning.”

Tubbo was about to protest, but a yawn escaped the second he opened his mouth. As much as he hated it, Ranboo had a point. It was well past midnight, and there was no knowing where he had lost it, or at what point. It could be anywhere.

He nodded, head hanging as the two finished their walk home in silence. Tubbo insisted Ranboo stay in the guest room, not wanting to be alone in his house tonight. They’d look in the morning. Ranboo promised to help him, surely it couldn't be gone for good. Surely someone at the party had seen it, and were just keeping it safe until they found him to return it. Surely.

* * *

With a panic, Tubbo shot out of bed.

In the minute it took for his vision to clear, he realized it had only been a nightmare. He was used to having those, but this one was especially bad.

He’d seen Tommy. It had been the day that Tubbo had exiled him. They were standing on the wall, Quackity, Fundy, and Tommy behind him as he spoke to Dream. They’d decided that they were going to go recruit Technoblade to help them. God, that was such a bad plan.

But so was exiling his best friend.

_“When I was sworn in I made a promise, to do what was best for the nation, and right now Tommy, you, your presence here, is not the best for this nation.”_

Why had he said that? Because it was the truth? Maybe. He could still hear the three of them yelling at him as he tried his best to block them out. His decision was final, after all. He remembered watching as Dream lead Tommy away. Tommy kept looking back, he looked so confused, and hurt. He didn’t even look mad. That’s what made it worse.

Tubbo didn’t even realize he was crying until Ranboo, who had come in at some point, came over and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy. They sat there, the silence and regret thick in the air around them.

“We’re going to find your compass Tubbo. And when we do, we’ll go see him. He will forgive you, there's no way he couldn’t. I haven’t been here all that long, but I see the bond between you two. Nothing, not even all this, could possibly break it.”

* * *

They spent the morning and better part of the afternoon looking. Their first stop had been Quackity’s house. There was no sign of it, but the new president was able to give them a list of all the people who had attended the party. There were so many names.

As much as he didn’t want to, Tubbo agreed to split up to visit the people on the list. Ranboo planned it so they could meet up every half hour in case one of them got a lead, or found it. After 3 hours of nothing, Tubbo had to admit to himself that if anyone from the party had found it, they would have heard that he was looking for it. News travelled fast in L’Manburg.

Their final stop was to the bakery. It was a long shot, but Tubbo hoped that maybe he put it in one of the packages by accident, or maybe he’d left it on the counter and either Niki or Puffy had grabbed it.

They entered to shop, the small bell announcing their presence. Niki emerged from the back, wiping flour from her hands as she smiled at the two teens. Her expression quickly changed, her mouth turning down and her eyes creasing with worry when she noticed their faces.

“How are you two doing? Is something wrong?”

Ranboo quickly explained what had happened, and what they had spent the morning doing. Tubbo was happy to let him do the talking. His mind was elsewhere. He hadn’t stopped thinking about Tommy all day, no matter how busy he was trying to remember who he needed to visit next, or where he was going. He needed his compass, he couldn’t prove himself without it.

“I’m really sorry Tubbo, I wish we had it. Puffy and I went through all the boxes this morning.”

“It’s alright, I already knew it was a long shot.” He attempted a small smile, though he was pretty sure it looked as fake as it felt.

“We should probably get going then, there are more places I want to look before it gets too dark.” turning towards the door, he tried his hardest to hold in the tears that were pushing to come out.

“Wait! I nearly forgot, but you left these behind yesterday.” Niki pulled out the small container from behind the counter. “I know they aren’t your compass, but I still hope you’ll enjoy them.”

The cupcakes she’d made for him. Right, he’d forgotten about those. He smiled at her, this one feeling more genuine than the first. “Thank you Niki, I’m sure they’ll be great.”

Waving goodbye, Tubbo and Ranboo left the bakery, cupcakes in hand.

“I think you need a rest Tubbo. We’ve been at this all morning, and it’s getting dark.” He looked up at Ranboo, wanting to insist that they had to keep going. Ranboo shook his head. ” We’ll continue in the morning, ok?”

His shoulders slumped. He watched as the sun was beginning to sink in the sky. Ranboo was right, again. (Why did he always have to be right?) They weren’t going to find it today. It just meant that he had to wait another day before he could leave. Because leaving without it was not an option.

* * *

For what felt like the millionth time, the two walked back to Tubbo’s house in silence. Ranboo hung around, but Tubbo insisted on being alone for a bit, going into his room and closing the door. He set the container on his desk. Turning on his lamp, he sat down, pulling out a pen and paper, and wrote.

He wasn’t sure what he was writing, but it helped calm his mind. Sometimes he wrote letters. To Tommy, Wilbur, Ranboo, Phil, anyone he could think of. Sometimes, he wrote about what he’d done that day. He didn’t feel like doing either of those today. Instead, he wrote a story. 

He wrote about a world where he and Tommy had never come to the Dream SMP. Where they travelled together, never settling, always moving. Meeting new people, being together. Being kids and exploring everything the world had to offer them. It was a perfect fantasy, something that was no longer possible. But he could dare to dream.

Deciding he should probably make sure Ranboo wasn’t burning a hole in his carpet from pacing, he reached to turn off his lamp. Note: look at what you’re doing when trying this. His hand hit lightly against the bulb, and he jumped slightly from the heat, accidentally knocking the lamp off his desk.

Great, this day couldn’t get any worse.

Nursing his hand where he’d hit on the glowing glass, he bent over to pick it up. A flash of light from the other side of his room caught his eye. The lamp was shining under his bed, and there was something under it that caught the light. He quickly put the lamp back on his desk and turned it off.

Walking over to his bed, Tubbo crouched down on his knees and used his good hand to grab underneath. His eyes widened and his breath caught when he felt the familiar metal against his fingers. Still not daring to believe, he closed his eyes, slowly pulling his hand out from under the bed.

He prayed to whoever was out there, whoever could hear him, that this was what he thought it was.

Opening his eyes, Tubbo sobbed with relief when he saw his compass in his hand. He flipped in open, staring at the needle and the small inscription carved inside. _Your Tommy._ He’d found it.

Tubbo leaned against his bed, clutching the compass to his chest as tears fell down his face.

Ranboo, hearing the commotion of the lamp falling, came in when he heard Tubbo crying. He saw the smaller boy sitting there, holding onto it as desperately as if it were the very person it led to. With a smile, he came and sat next to him.

Tubbo leaned against him still clinging to the metal object that held his heart. He could go now. He could go and see Tommy, after all this time. He could go and apologise and beg for forgiveness. For once, if Tommy let him, he’d be the clingy one.

* * *

He stared at the swirling wall of purple, mist floating in the air around them. Tubbo had never been scared of the nether before, but this time was different. He was one step closer to his friend.

As soon as he’d calmed down last night, he had wanted to leave, but Ranboo had insisted they wait until morning. It was way too late at that point, Tommy would probably be asleep. Besides, they hadn’t gathered anything for the trip yet. They didn’t need a lot, but Tubbo had wanted to bring a few things with him.

Tubbo had also gotten a small burn on his hand from the glowing lamp. They made a quick stop to visit Phil, who gave him a skeptical glance when he told him he’d burned it on a lamp, but made quick work of wrapping it and giving him a healing potion before they set out again.

Now, he stood before the portal with Ranboo, nothing on him but the few materials they’d packed the night before, and the container of cupcakes from Niki.

Bouncing slightly, silently hyping himself up, Tubbo finally managed to work up the courage, stepping into the portal. Ranboo quickly followed, and the two of them were transported into the other dimension. Ranboo took the lead, because even though he had a rough idea, Tubbo really didn’t know how to get there.

“When we get to Logstedshire, there’s a decent chance Tommy won’t be there. He likes to wander from the camp sometimes.” Ranboo explained, “There’s also a chance Dream will be there, in which case we may be best off to wait in the shadows until he leaves.” He shuddered. “He creeps me out.”

Tubbo nodded, only half paying attention. He couldn't believe he was actually going. He was finally going to see Tommy. He was so excited to see where his friend was staying. Tubbo had heard bits and pieces about, what did he call it, Logstedshire? He’d heard bits and pieces about Logstedshire from Ranboo and Ghostbur, but it didn’t quite paint a full picture in his head.

Ranboo offered to go through first, scout out the area a bit before Tubbo went through. He didn’t want to put off seeing Tommy, but he also really didn’t want to run into Dream. He didn’t know what the warrior would do if he found out Tubbo wanted to live in exile with Tommy. Tubbo didn’t think that was against the terms, but he wanted to make up with Tommy before Dream found out.

A few minutes later, Ranboo returned through the portal.

“It’s about what we expected, he’s alone, which is good, except I don’t know where Ghostbur is.”

He rubbed his hand against the back of his neck. “I told him that I brought someone with me, but he got all pissed off at that and said he didn’t want visitors.”

Tubbo frowned. The Tommy he knew loved to be around people, besides, Ranboo had told him about how lonely Tommy had been in exile. It made him feel even worse for not being able to visit sooner.

“I think he was headed for the beach when I came back to get you, so if you’re ready, we can go try and find him there?”

A small laugh escaped his lips. “I’m not worried about finding him,” he said, pulling the compass from his pocket. It didn’t work in the nether, so the needle was just spinning in circles in its small frame. “I’m worried that I’ve already lost him.”

* * *

The first thing he saw when they arrived on the other side was a small building off to his right. It looked like a storage shed of some kind. Glancing to his left, he saw a structure made of birch and oak logs planted into the ground.

“That’s Logstedshire, Ghostbur built it when they first got out here.” Ranboo said, following his line of sight. “If we follow the path to our right, we’ll reach Tommy’s tent. The beach is a bit past that.”

“Then let’s go, shall we?”

As they walked past his tent, Tubbo couldn’t help but glance inside. He laughed when he saw the picture of the Queen his friend had in there. There was no doubt that this was Tommy’s, especially when he saw the jukebox sitting just outside the other end.

Continuing on, the path slowly curved, and the beach came into view. 

And there he was, sitting by the edge of the water.

Tubbo took a moment to fully realize that the person sitting there was his best friend. He seemed the same, and yet, so different. His hair seemed dull, less like gold and more like straw, the small curls falling flat against his head. He was also very tan. Tubbo supposed that’s what happens when you spend so much time outside.

And his eyes. Tubbo gasped when Tommy turned towards them. His eyes, once full of mischief and adventure, as blue as the brightest skies and the biggest waves, were gray. 

Tommy’s eyes filled with something else when he saw Tubbo. Surprise, anger, confusion, joy, Tubbo wasn’t entirely sure. He jumped up from his spot by the water, blinking rapidly as he stumbled back.

“No, not again, you’re not going to trick me into thinking he’s actually here again.” Tommy said, voice shaking as he stared at his friend in shock.

“Tommy? It is me, I’m here.” Tubbo took a hesitant step forward. He wanted to reach out and hug him, but the way he was acting, almost like he was scared he was seeing a ghost, made Tubbo hold back.

“No. I know you’re not real. You’re just a stupid fucking illusion that my brain decided was good idea.” He took another step back, trying to distance himself. “I won’t be tricked, not again, not after last time.”

Tubbo’s heart sank in his chest. Did Tommy really think that he wasn’t real? Had he hurt his friend to the point where he didn't think Tubbo would actually be there? He desperately needed a way to prove it, to show him it was real, he was real, that Tubbo was really there. His hand instinctively went to his pocket, and when they met the cool metal sitting there, it gave him an idea.

“Tommy it’s me. I know you don't believe me, but you don't have to." He pulled his compass from his pocket. "Ghostbur told me he gave you one as well. If you can't trust me, or yourself, check it. It'll show you."

Not taking his eyes off of Tubbo, Tommy slowly reached into his own pocket. He opened the compass slowly, barely daring to glance at it, not allowing himself to believe. Finally, he looked. His eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Tubbo and the compass, watching as the little needle pointed right at the man in front of him.

“...Tubbo?”

“Hi Tommy.”

Tommy stood in disbelief for another moment before throwing himself at his friend. The two clung to each other, sinking into the sand. Whispered apologies and memories of a simpler time passed between them as they cried on each other. There they stayed, arms holding on desperately, neither one wanting to let go in fear that as soon as they did the other would disappear. At some point, Ranboo came over and wrapped a blanket over the two of them, and then moved away to give them some space. They fell asleep there, in the sand, slumped against each other, compasses lying in the sand where they'd fallen.


End file.
